KUALA LUMPUR – The government should introduce a demerit system for AirAsia following several complaints on its delays and services as a form of consumer protection, said the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC).
MTUC secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor said the airline’s management should not be allowed to “get away” with it by simply offering refunds and rescheduling flights.
“AirAsia needs to pay fines to its passengers to show that the company is taking full responsibility for flight delays.
“The government needs to act firmly against the carrier in the interest of its passengers, including cancelling its operating licence if there are no improvements to its service,” he said in a statement.
He added that there have been numerous complaints over AirAsia’s flight delays, which usually resulted in costing the passengers more.
“This cost increase has a big impact on consumers, especially students and the B40. Flight delays also affect Malaysia’s image as a whole.”
He added that AirAsia should not be seen to take passenger complaints lightly as any adverse consumer action will affect employee livelihoods.
His response came after a group of passengers of AirAsia flight AK117 expressed frustration over the lack of communication and slow progress in obtaining financial compensation for losses caused by their flight’s return to Guangzhou on May 1.
Speaking to The Vibes, the group’s representative Bryan Ng said although some passengers have received refunds through China’s Civil Aviation Authority, they have yet to be contacted by AirAsia.
Many of them were hesitant about boarding the rescheduled flight when they found that it was the same aircraft that had been forced to turn around earlier. As a result, some 40 people did not get onboard.
AirAsia Malaysia chief executive Riad Asmat has since explained that there was no safety issue on flight AK117 and denied that the return to Guangzhou was due to depressurisation, which passengers claimed was the cause given to them by the flight’s crew.
AirAsia also said the episode was “not an emergency situation”, and that the necessary technical rectification was done when the plane returned to Guangzhou, making it safe for flight.
However, the group of passengers said AirAsia should have had better communication with passengers at the time after the incident, as many of them have little knowledge of aviation and were naturally concerned. – The Vibes, May 13, 2023
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